Collins has had Indiana’s number for years now. Could the program look to him for its future?
Chris Collins has ushered in something of a golden age for Northwestern men’s basketball that would’ve stood a chance at continuing this year if the Wildcats’ roster remained healthy.
Northwestern just does not make the tournament. It’s not a program you expect to see on Selection Sunday and for a while was a way for rival Big Ten fanbases in Chicago to see their team without traveling too far.
Collins changed that recently. After leading the program to the tournament in 2017 and spending the next several years lost in the Woods, the Wildcats were dancing again in 2023 and 2024.
Northwestern proved to be a thorn in the side for a few teams during this time, namely Indiana and Purdue. It’s the lone Big Ten team of the original 14 that Mike Woodson never logged a coaching win against and gave the Edey-era Boilermakers fits in Evanston and West Lafayette.
But let’s zoom out a bit.
Collins is an Illinois native, he’s from the suburbs north of Chicago and taking the Northwestern job was a chance for him to come home after a lengthy period of time on Duke’s bench.
That’s important context for later, something worth keeping in mind.
Collins’ Northwestern teams have been primarily defensive-oriented, at least as far as the metrics go. When the offense has lined up with the defense, as it did in 2017, 2023 and 2024, the Wildcats have gone from a middling program around the bottom or middle of the Big Ten to a firm top-half team.
Aside from that, not much really stands out about Northwestern in the metrics. The program hasn’t really been elite at anything outside of limiting turnovers on the offensive end of the floor.
That being said, would he be a candidate at Indiana.
Well, for one, would he want the job? He’s home in Chicago at a program where he has renewed energy and life after the past few seasons. Why trade that for the Bloomington fish bowl.
On another hand, would Indiana want this kind of hire? A guy who’s struggled in the Big Ten and doesn’t necessarily do anything at a truly elite level?
He’s underrated overall and would be an interesting name to get a look, at the very least.